Dec 8 West Side Brewery Review: Wabasha Brewing Co.

Being a Minneapolis resident for 8 years now, I don't make it to St. Paul as often as I'd like but I'm working on adding to my bucket list for the other Twin City. This past weekend we were lucky enough to check one off the list and pop by Wabasha Brewing Taproom, the first craft brewery in West St. Paul - just past the Wabasha Caves. Sure is small, but adds to the cozy, independent vibe of this place; it almost feels like a hole in the wall or underground basement bar with it's 4-person sit up counter and a set of board games nestled in a corner with some plaid chairs. Overall, a great little hangout spot to grab some local brews, check it out if you find yourself on that side of town.

Sounds like they are eventually looking to expand and out of this cozy nook and grow to hold 100-plus people but for now, enjoy the intimate space - there's something fun about it. Oh, and if you're a Minneapolis resident and won't be "crossing over" for a few days, lucky for you, they are hosting a tap takeover at the Bulldog in Uptown tomorrow, December 9 @ 4:00 pm. About the beer already.... read a brief take on the beers we sampled below, cheers!

West Side Popper Jalapeno Cream Ale - I'm not normally a fan of cream ales but the addition of the Jalapeno adds a crisp "bite" finish. Very interesting and I'd say a successful experimental ale.

Implosion IPA - This was a lighter IPA but perfect for winter months, I seem to go hard on the IPAs in the summer so this one was a perfect break from heavy hop flavors that I overdid in the past months.

Imperial Cave Stout - This was my favorite! Might be the fact that I crave darker, richer flavored beers in the cooler months but I loved the thick chocolate coffee flavors - plus it's cave aged so that's cool! So yummy I could have drank a few more!

Lawnmower Porter - The porter has great flavor but is light so it's super drinkable. Again, gotta love the chocolate coffee flavor; this one would be great year round.